Rising Sydney Swans defender Callum Mills has showered in praise the leadership of the club’s three newly appointed co-captains ahead of season 2019. 

The Swans announced in December Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Dane Rampe as co-captains for the 2019 campaign, returning to a three-way co-captaincy model for the first time since 2009 and 2010.

QBE Sydney Swans Academy product Mills, recently named as a member of an eight-man leadership group for season 2019, said Kennedy, Parker and Rampe had had an enormous impact on the club. 

“They’ve been super during the pre-season and they always have been,” Mills told SwansTV.

“Nothing’s really changed since they were appointed as co-captains. They’re such big leaders of our football club and I don’t think the co-captaincy titles have really changed much about what they do. They were already such great leaders and the boys are looking forward to running out with all three of them this year.”

Kennedy led the Swans to back-to-back finals series in his two-year tenure as sole skipper across seasons 2017 and 2018.

The Swans are now working under a three-way co-captaincy structure for the first time since Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk and Craig Bolton paved the way in seasons 2009 and 2010.

Sydney returned to the pre-season slog on Monday after a three-week break, building on a pre-Christmas block of training completed over November and December.

Mills said the Swans logged another high-quality session in the bank on Wednesday, and he was glowing of a number of players following the examples set by Kennedy, Parker and Rampe.

“It was a bit lighter and it was a bit of a skills session, but we got a lot out of it and it was really good,” Mills said.

“It’s always tougher when the weather’s hotter, but that’s what happens in Sydney. It’s always hot in the pre-season but you get used to it and the boys pushed through it today like you have to.

“The boys that have been out here for the majority of the sessions, like Isaac Heeney, Robbie Fox and Jack Maibaum, are all putting in big numbers. The main aim of the pre-season is getting done as many sessions as you can and getting the most out of yourself, which most of our players have been able to do, which is great.” 

Mills has played at half-back alongside Jarrad McVeigh, Jake Lloyd and Zak Jones since the Swans secured his signature via their first-round selection at the 2015 AFL Draft.

But the door has been left ajar for Mills to make a switch to the midfield in season 2019, and the 21-year-old said he’d be open to playing wherever needed.

“It’s just about getting the understanding of the midfield and their craft, so if I possibly do go in there it’s not foreign to me,” Mills said.

“I’ve done the pre-season with the midfield and I’m just expanding my knowledge of the game and really getting used to different roles. That way, I’m able to perform whatever role the team needs me to.”